Apparatus and method for drying substrates

ABSTRACT

A method for drying substrates using isopropyl alcohol (IPA) includes: a pre-stage in which heated fluid is injected to a bottom surface of a substrate to raise a temperature of the substrate simultaneously to injection of an organic solvent to a top surface of the substrate and injection of a dry gas to the top surface thereof to improve a vaporization power of the organic solvent; and a final stage in which the injection of the heated fluid is stopped and the organic solvent and the dry gas are injected to the top surface of the substrate.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/586,250 filed Nov. 2, 2012, which is a divisional of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/600,550 filed Nov. 17, 2009, which claims thebenefit of and priority to PCT/KR2008/002875 filed May 22, 2008, whichclaims the benefit of and priority to Korean Patent Application No.10-2007-0050356 filed May 23, 2007, and Korean Patent No.10-2008-0022470 filed Mar. 11, 2008, the entire contents of each ofwhich are hereby incorporated in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods for dryingsubstrates. More specifically, the present invention relates to anapparatus and a method for drying substrates using isopropyl alcohol(IPA).

BACKGROUND ART

Semiconductor manufacturing processes include a wafer fabricationprocess. Generally, a wafer fabrication process includes a photoresistcoating process, a developing and baking process, an etching process, achemical vapor deposition process, an ashing process and so forth. Inaddition, a wet cleaning process is performed using chemicals ordeionized water (DI water) to remove various contaminants attached to asurface of a substrate during these processes.

After a cleaning process is performed, a drying process is performed todry chemicals or DI water remaining on the surface of the substrate. Aspin dryer and an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) dryer are used as apparatusesfor drying substrates. The spin dryer uses a mechanodynamical rotatoryforce to dry semiconductor substrates, and the IPA dryer uses a chemicalreaction of IPA to dry semiconductor substrates.

A typical spin dryer uses the rotation operation of a spin head to drysubstrates. Considering impurity particles with the trends toward higherintegration density of semiconductor devices and larger diameter ofsubstrates, the spin dryer cannot evade disadvantages such as watermarksformed on a dried semiconductor substrate.

For this reason, the IPA dryers are widely being used. As mentionedabove, the IPA dryer uses a chemical reaction of IPA to dry substrates.That is, the IPA dryer vaporizes an IPA solution and substitutes DIwater with the vaporized IPA solution to perform a drying process.

Unfortunately, a conventional substrate drying apparatus suffers fromproblems set forth below.

When an IPA solution is vaporized, a surface temperature of a substrateis rapidly reduced to increase time required for performing a dryingprocess. Thus, the consumed amount of IPA also increases. Moreover,watermarks may be formed or particles may be generated by lack ofdrying.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to methodsfor drying substrates. In an exemplary embodiment, the method mayinclude: a pre-stage in which heated fluid is injected to a bottomsurface of a substrate to raise a temperature of the substratesimultaneously to injection of an organic solvent to a top surface of arotating substrate.

In this embodiment, the method further includes: a final stage in whichthe injection of the heated fluid is stopped and the organic solvent isinjected to a top surface of the substrate.

In this embodiment, during the pre-stage and the final stage, a dry gasis injected with the organic solvent to improve a vaporization power ofthe organic solvent.

In this embodiment, a substrate rotation speed in the final stage ishigher than that in the pre-stage.

In this embodiment, during the final stage, the organic solvent isinjected from the center to the edge of the substrate only once.

In this embodiment, the pre-stage includes: a scan step in which scaninjection of the organic solvent is conducted from the center to theedge of the substrate and from the edge to the center thereof; and afixing step in which the organic solvent is fixedly injected at thecenter of the substrate, wherein the heated fluid is injected to thebottom surface of the substrate only in the fixing step.

In this embodiment, the method further include: a final stage in whichthe injection of the heated fluid is stopped and an organic solvent isinjected only to the center of the top surface of the substrate.

In this embodiment, a substrate rotation speed in the final stage ishigher than that in the pre-stage.

In this embodiment, a substrate rotation speed in the final stage is1400 to 1600 rpm, and a temperature of the heated fluid injected to thebottom surface of the substrate is 60 to 80 degrees centigrade.

In this embodiment, in the pre-stage, the heated fluid is injected tothe bottom surface of the substrate after fluid accumulated in a pipe isdrained for a determined time.

In this embodiment, the heated fluid is deionized water (DI water), andthe organic solvent is isopropyl alcohol (IPA).

In another exemplary embodiment, the method may include: a pre-stage inwhich heated fluid is injected to a bottom surface of a substrate toraise a temperature of the substrate simultaneously to injection of anorganic solvent to a top surface of the substrate and injection of a drygas to the top surface thereof to improve a vaporization power of theorganic solvent; and a final stage in which the injection of the heatedfluid is stopped and the organic solvent and the dry gas are injected tothe top surface of the substrate.

In this embodiment, a substrate rotation speed in the final stage is 600to 800 rpm which is higher than that in the pre-stage, and the organicsolvent is injected from the center to the edge of the substrate onlyonce.

In another exemplary embodiment, the method may include: a pre-stage inwhich after scan injection of an organic solvent is conducted from thecenter to the edge of a substrate and from the edge to the centerthereof, heated fluid is injected to a bottom surface of the substrateto raise a temperature of the substrate simultaneously to fixedlyinjection of the organic solvent at the center of the substrate; and afinal stage in which the injection of the heated fluid is stopped andthe organic solvent is injected only at the center of the top surface ofthe substrate.

In this embodiment, a substrate rotation speed in the final stage is1400 to 1600 rpm which is higher than that in the pre-stage.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to anapparatus for drying substrates. In an exemplary embodiment, theapparatus may include: a support unit including a spin head on which asubstrate is loaded; a bowl adapted to accommodate the spin head of thesupport unit and provide a space where a process is performed; an uppernozzle part configured to supply a dry fluid to a top surface of thesubstrate loaded on the spin head; a lower nozzle part installed at atop surface of the spin head and configured to inject heated fluid tothe bottom surface of the substrate; a first fluid supply partconfigured to supply heated fluid to the lower nozzle part; and a heaterinstalled at the first fluid supply part and configured to heat fluid tobe supplied to the lower nozzle part.

In this embodiment, the upper nozzle part includes: a first nozzleconfigured to inject an organic solvent to dry a top surface of asubstrate; and a second nozzle configured to inject a dry gas to improvea vaporization power of the organic solvent.

In this embodiment, the apparatus further includes: a moving partconfigured to moving the upper nozzle part such that the upper nozzlepart injects fluid while moving from the center to the edge of a topsurface of the substrate.

In this embodiment, the heater heats deionized water (DI water) at atemperature ranging from 60 to 80 degrees centigrade.

According to the present invention, there are advantages and effects setforth below.

Firstly, DI water of a regular temperature is supplied to a bottomsurface of a substrate to prevent a temperature of a substrate surfacefrom increasing rapidly and suppress generation of particles resultingfrom watermarks or lack of drying.

Secondly, a temperature of a substrate is regularly maintained during adrying process to reduce time required for the drying process and theconsumed amount of an IPA solution.

Thirdly, while a substrate rotates at a high speed, an IPA solution isinjected at the center of a substrate to reduce the amount of a dry gasused. Further, a rebound phenomenon of the IPA solution is suppressed toreduce particles.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with theembodiment of the present invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, it is not limited thereto. It will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a substrate drying apparatus usingIPA according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an upper nozzle part operating in rotation movement.

FIG. 3 shows an upper nozzle part operating in straight line movement.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a drying method according to a firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates steps of the drying method according to the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a drying method according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates steps of the drying method according to the secondembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown. This invention, however, may be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Likenumbers refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a substrate drying apparatus 10 using IPA according to anembodiment of the present invention.

The substrate drying apparatus 10 includes a bowl 100, a lift unit 200,a support unit 300, an upper nozzle part 400, and a lower nozzle part500.

<Bowl>

As shown in FIG. 1, the bowl 100 has an open top and is configured tosurround a spin head 310. Also the bowl 100 collects and dischargetreatment fluid dispersed over a rotating substrate. A rinsing nozzle,fixed to the bowl 100 to inject deionized water (DI water) to asubstrate, etc. is omitted for the convenience of drawing this figure.The bowl 100 may have a variety of shapes and be a one-stage bowl.

In the bowl 100, annular ducts are arranged on multi-stages to intake orsuck treatment fluid dispersed on a substrate. More specifically, atop-open space “A” is defined inside the bowl 100. In the space “A”, asubstrate W is treated and the spin head 310 is disposed. A spindle 320is fixedly coupled with the bottom of the spin head 310 to support androtate the spin head 320. The spindle 320 protrudes to the exterior ofthe bowl 100 through an opening formed at the bottom surface of the bowl100. A rotation member 330, such as a motor, is coupled with the spindle320 to provide a rotation force. The bowl 100 is configured to separateand recover chemicals used in a process, which makes it possible toreuse the chemicals. The bowl 100 includes a plurality of recoverycontainers 110 a, 110 b, and 110 c in which different kinds of treatmentsolutions used in a process are recovered, respectively. In thisembodiment, the bowl 100 includes three recovery containers, which arenamed an inner recovery container 110 a, an intermediate recoverycontainer 110 b, and an outer recovery container 110 c, respectively.

The inner recovery container 110 a is provided with a ring shape tosurround the spin head 310, and the intermediate recovery container 110b is provided with a ring shape to surround the inner recovery container110 a. The outer recovery container 110 c is provided with a ring shapeto surround the intermediate recovery container 110 b. The recoverycontainers 110 a, 110 b, and 110 c have inlets 111 a, 111 b, and 111 ccommunicating with the space “A” defined inside the bowl 110,respectively. Each of the inlets 111 a, 111 b, and 111 c is provided atthe circumference of the spin head 310 with a ring shape. The chemicalsinjected to the substrate W to be used in the process flows into therecovery containers 110 a, 110 b, and 110 c through the inlets 111 a,111 b, and 111 c by a centrifugal force caused by rotation of thesubstrate W. The chemicals flowing into the recovery containers 110 a,110 b, and 110 c are drained to the outside through their drain lines115 a, 115 b, and 115 c.

<Lift Unit>

The lift unit 200 allows the bowl 100 to straightly move up and down.Due to the up-and-down movement of the bowl 100, a relative height ofthe bowl 100 to the spin head 310 is altered. The lift unit 200 includesa bracket 210, a movable shaft 220, and a driver 230. The bracket 210 isfixedly installed at the outer wall of the bowl 100. The movable shaft220 is fixedly coupled with the bracket 210 and raised and lowered bymeans of the driver 230. When a substrate W is loaded on the spin head310 or unloaded therefrom, the bowl 100 is lowered to protrude the spinhead 310 over the bowl 100. While a process is carried out, a height ofthe bowl 100 is adjusted to enable a treatment solution supplied to asubstrate W to flow into preset recovery containers 110 a, 110 b, and110 c according to the kind of the treatment solution. The contrary tothe above-stated method, the lift unit 200 allows the spin head 310 tomove up and down.

<Support Unit>

The support unit 300 is configured to support a substrate W during atreatment process and includes the spin head 310, the spindle 320, and arotation member 330.

The spin head 310 is disposed at the inner space defined inside the bowl100. The spin head 310 includes a top surface 312 a on which a substrateW is loaded, support pins 314 to support the substrate W while beingspaced apart from the top surface 312 a of the spin head 310, andchucking pins 316 to chuck a portion of the edge of the substrate W whena process is carried out.

The spindle 320 is coupled with the central bottom of the spin head 310and has a hollow-shaft shape to transmit a rotation force to the spinhead 310. Although not illustrated in detail, the rotation member 330may have a conventional structure including a driving part such as amotor to generate a rotation force, a belt to transmit the rotationforce generated from the driver to a spindle, and a power transmissionpart such as a chain.

<Lower Nozzle Part>

The lower nozzle part 500 is configured to inject heated fluid to abottom surface of a substrate W. The heated fluid is heated deionizedwater (DI water) and may be heated nitrogen gas or the like.

The lower nozzle part 500 includes a lower nozzle 510 installed at thecenter of the top surface of the spin head 310. The lower nozzle 510 isconnected to a DI water supply line to be disposed at the center of thespin head 310. The lower nozzle 510 includes a heating injection hole512 provided to inject the heated DI water to a bottom surface of asubstrate. The substrate is heated by the heated DI water injectedthrough the heating injection hole 512. The heated DI water, injected tothe center of the bottom surface of the substrate through the lowernozzle 510, is easily injected to the edge of the substrate due to therotation of the substrate to uniformly raise a temperature of thesubstrate.

A first fluid supply part 520 includes a DI water supply source 522, aheater 524, a DI water supply line 526, and a drain line 528. The heater524 heats the DI water stored in the DI water supply source 522 to atemperature ranging from 60 to 80 degrees centigrade. The DI watersupply line 526 has one end connected to the DI water supply source 522and the other end connected to the lower nozzle 510. The DI water supplyline 526 functions as a flow path of the heated DI water passing ahollow section of the spindle 320. The drain line 528 branches from theDI water supply line 526. A first valve 527 a functioning as an on/offvalve and a suckback valve 527 b are installed at the DI water supplyline 526, and a second valve 527 c functioning as an on/off valve isinstalled at the drain line 528. The suckback valve 527 b allows theheated DI water remaining in a nozzle to flow backward shortly afterdischarging the heated DI water. The DI water supply line 526 includes apredetermined pipe. Also the DI water supply line 526 may be defined asa pipe-type (hollow) space inside the spindle 320. The drain line 528 isadapted to achieve process reproducibility of the heated DI waterinjected to the bottom surface of the substrate. A temperature of theheated DI water accumulated on the DI water supply line 526 decreaseswith the lapse of time. For this reason, the DI water accumulated on theDI water supply line 526 is drained through the drain line 528 byclosing the first valve 527 a and opening the second valve 527 c inorder not to be injected to the bottom surface of the substrate throughthe lower nozzle 510. That is, the DI water accumulated on the DI watersupply line 526 is drained for a determined time before supplying theheated DI water to the bottom surface of the substrate. Afterwards, theDI water heated by the heater 524 is supplied to the lower nozzle 510.

The heated DI water serves to prevent a surface temperature of asubstrate W from rapidly decreasing with condensation cooling caused byvaporization of an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution when a process ofdrying the substrate W is carried out. That is, while the IPA solutionand an N₂ gas are injected to a surface of the substrate W to dry thesubstrate W, the heated DI water is injected to a bottom surface of thesubstrate W to maintain the entire temperature of the substrate W at atemperature between 60 and 80 degrees centigrade. Although a temperatureof the heated DI water is 60 to 80 degrees centigrade, it may vary witha proceeding state of the drying process.

Due to the heated DI water, the temperature of the substrate W may bemaintained regularly during the drying process to prevent generation ofparticles caused by watermarks and lack of drying. Moreover, the entiresubstrate W is regularly maintained without rapid decrease intemperature to reduce time required for performing a drying processusing an IPA solution. Thus, the consumed amount of the IPA solutiondecreases.

Although not shown in the figure, the lower nozzle 510 may furtherinclude a rinsing injection hole provided to inject a rinsing solution(e.g., DI water) during a rinsing process and a drying injection holeprovided to inject IPA vapor or dry gas (e.g., nitrogen gas) during asubstrate drying process.

<Upper Nozzle Part>

The upper nozzle part 400 includes a plurality of nozzles configured totreat a substrate W loaded on the spin head 310. The upper nozzle part400 injects an organic solvent, a dry gas, etc. to a top surface(to-be-treated surface) of a substrate W loaded on the spin head 310.

While traveling from the center to the edge of a substrate W and viceversa or at the center of the substrate W, the upper nozzle part 400injects an organic solvent or a dry gas to the surface of the substrateW. The upper nozzle part 400 is connected to a moving part 420,described later, to be movable.

The upper nozzle part 400 includes a plurality of nozzles 412 and 414and an injection head 410 where the plurality of nozzles 412 and 414 areinstalled. The injection head 410 is connected to an arm 422 of themoving part 420. The plurality of nozzles 412 and 414 are installed at asurface of the injection head 410 facing the substrate W, and include afirst nozzle 412 and a second nozzle 414 injecting different fluids.Specifically, the injection head 410 includes the first nozzle 412configured to inject an IPA solution and the second nozzle 414configured to inject N2 gas.

Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is a chemical used to dry a substrate W usingits volatility. While passing the surface of the substrate W, the IPAsolution makes a substitution reaction with hydrogen of the DI waterremaining at the surface of the substrate W after a cleaning process toremove moisture from the remaining DI water. The N₂ gas serves toactivate vaporization (vaporization power) of the IPA solution. That is,the N₂ gas increases a vaporization temperature of the IPA solution toenhance a drying effect of the substrate W. Further, it is possible toprevent a temperature of the IPA solution from decreasing with N₂ gas ofa normal temperature.

The upper nozzle part 400 may further include a nozzle configured toinject an etchant such as hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution for etchingand a nozzle configured to inject DI water for cleaning. In anotherembodiment, another upper nozzle part may be provided with a nozzleconfigured to inject an etchant or a nozzle configured to inject DIwater for cleaning. Although two nozzles are provided in thisembodiment, three or more nozzles may be provided according to the kindof fluids required in a substrate treating process.

A second fluid supply part 430 supplies various fluids for a dryingprocess to the injection head 410. The second fluid supply part 430includes an IPA supply source 432, a nitrogen gas supply source 434, afirst supply line 435 to connect the IPA supply source 432 with thefirst nozzle 412, and a second supply line 436 to connect the nitrogengas supply source 434 with the second nozzle 414.

For example, the upper nozzle part 400 may be configured to sequentiallyinject fluids for etching, cleaning, and drying to the surface of thesubstrate W to sequentially remove oxide and contaminants, clean and drythe substrate W. Accordingly, if necessary, the top nozzle part 400 mayinclude a plurality of nozzles.

The moving part 420 moves the upper nozzle part 400 to uniformly injectthe fluid, injected from the upper nozzle part 400, to the edge from thecenter of the substrate W. The moving part 420 includes an arm 422, asupport shaft 424, and a driving motor 426. The injection head 410 isconnected to one end of the arm 422 to support the injection head 410,and the support shaft 424 is connected to the other end of the arm 422.The support shaft 424 receives a rotation force from the driving motor426 and moves the injection head 410 connected to the arm 422 by meansof the received rotation force. The driving motor is connected to acontroller (not shown).

There are two methods of moving the top nozzle part 400 by means of themoving part 420. One is a straight-line movement method, and the otheris a rotation movement method. These two methods may be usedindividually or together.

As shown in FIG. 2, an upper nozzle part 400 may rotationally move on asupport shaft 424. At this point, the upper nozzle part 400 draws an arc“a” passing the center “c” of a substrate W, and first and secondnozzles 412 and 414 are disposed on the arc “a”. In the moving direction(arrow direction) of the upper nozzle part 400, the first nozzle 412 maybe disposed ahead of the second nozzle 414, i.e., the second nozzle 414may be disposed behind the first nozzle 412.

As shown in FIG. 3, an upper nozzle part 400 a may straightly move overan arm 422 of a moving part 420. At this point, the upper nozzle part400 a is disposed on a straight line passing the center “c” of asubstrate. In the moving direction (arrow direction) of the upper nozzlepart 400 a, the first nozzle 412 may be disposed ahead of the secondnozzle 414, i.e., the second nozzle 414 may be disposed behind the firstnozzle 412.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first nozzle 412 and the second nozzle414 are disposed in a row in a moving direction of the upper nozzle part400 or relative to a tangent line of the moving direction thereof. Thus,although any one of the foregoing two methods is used, the second nozzle414 injects N₂ gas while moving along the track of the first nozzle 412during the injection of an IPA solution from the first nozzle 412.

The effect of the above-structured substrate drying apparatus using IPAwill now be described below.

First, a substrate W is transferred to be loaded on a spin head 310. Theloaded substrate W is held by a chucking pin 316 and a rotation member330 rotates the spin head 310.

If the substrate W rotates, an etching process is performed using anetchant. Generally, hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution is used as anetchant for etching a silicon layer on a substrate during a wet etchingprocess. The HF solution is injected into a process chamber to etch asilicon layer on a surface of a rotating substrate W. An injection holeformed to inject an etchant may be provided at an upper nozzle part 400or another nozzle except the upper nozzle part 400.

After the etching process is performed, etching residues on the surfaceof the substrate W are removed. While a substrate W continues to rotate,DI water is injected to clean or rinse the substrate W. An injectionhole formed to inject cleaning DI water is provided at the upper nozzlepart 400 or another nozzle except the upper nozzle part 400.

After the cleaning process is completed, a drying process is performedto dry a surface of a substrate W.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a drying method according to a firstembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 illustrates steps of thedrying method according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a drying process may include apre-stage S610 and a final stage S620. A substrate rotation speed in thepre-stage S610 is 400 to 500 rpm, which is lower than that in the finalstage S620 (600 to 800 rpm).

In the pre-stage S610, heated DI water is injected from a lower nozzlepart 500 simultaneously to injection of an IPA solution and N₂ gas froman upper nozzle part 400. The upper nozzle part 400 injects the IPAsolution and N₂ gas while taking a round scan between the center and theedge of a substrate surface. The IPA solution is injected to dry asubstrate W using volatility of the IPA solution. While passing thesurface of the substrate W, the IPA solution makes a substitutionreaction with hydrogen of the DI water remaining at the surface of thesubstrate W after a cleaning process to remove moisture from theremaining DI water. During the drying process using the IPA solution, asecond nozzle 414 of the upper nozzle part 400 injects the N₂ gas whilemoving along the track of a first nozzle 412 to dry the surface of thesubstrate W. The N₂ gas serves to activate vaporization of the IPAsolution.

As described above, while the surface of the substrate W is dried usingthe IPA solution and the N₂ gas, the lower nozzle part 500 injectsheated DI water to a bottom surface of the substrate W. A temperature ofthe heated DI water is 60 to 80 degrees centigrade. The supply of theheated DI water makes a temperature distribution of the entire substrateW uniform, preventing formation of watermarks or generation of particlesresulting from lack of drying. Moreover, the entire temperature of thesubstrate W is raised to make rapid drying (improvement of vaporizationpower) possible due to the IPA solution. Thus, drying time is reduced,i.e., the consumed amount of the IPA solution decreases.

In the final stage S620, the IPA solution and N₂ gas are injected to thetop surface of the substrate W to dry the top surface thereof whilerotating the substrate W at a higher speed than in the pre-stage S610without injection of the heated DI water. The final stage S620 iscompleted by taking one scan from the center to the edge of thesubstrate W. Meanwhile, the final stage S620 may include a step ofinjecting N₂ gas to the bottom of the substrate W to remove DI waterwhich may remain at the bottom thereof. Thus, the lower nozzle part 500may have an injection hole (not shown) for injecting the N₂ gas to drythe remaining DI water.

After the drying process is completed, the rotation member 330 stopsoperating. Thus, rotation of the spin head 310 pauses and the substrateW is transferred or another process is performed.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a drying method according to a secondembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 illustrates steps of thedrying method according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, a drying process may include apre-stage S710 and a final stage S720. A substrate rotation speed in thepre-stage S710 is 400 to 500 rpm, which is lower than that in the finalstage S710 (1400 to 1600 rpm).

The pre-stage S710 includes a first step S712 in which an upper nozzlepart 400 injects an IPA solution to a top surface of a substrate whiletaking four to six round scan (from the center to the edge of thesubstrate) and a second step S714 in which a lower nozzle part 500injects heated DI water simultaneously to injection of the IPA solutionto the center of the top surface of the substrate while the upper nozzlepart 400 is fixed to the center of the substrate.

That is, the upper nozzle part 400 injects the IPA solution while takingfour to six round scan from the top surface to the edge of the substrate(taking 10-13 seconds). Thereafter, the upper nozzle part 400 injectsIPA solution while being fixed to the center of the top surface of thesubstrate (taking 9-11 seconds). The lower nozzle part 500 injectsheated DI water to the bottom of the substrate to heat the substrateonly during the injection of the IPA solution while the upper nozzlepart 400 is fixed to the center of the top surface of the substrate.

In the final stage S720, while the substrate rotates at a higher speedthan in the pre-stage S710, the IPA solution is injected to the topsurface of the substrate to dry the top surface thereof withoutinjection of the heated DI water (taking 14-16 seconds). The final stageS720 is to inject the IPA solution while the upper nozzle part 400 isfixed to the center of the substrate. In the final stage S720, acentrifugal force caused by high-speed rotation of the substrate isreplaced with dry gas effect without use of N₂ gas. Especially becausethe upper nozzle part 400 injects the IPA solution while being fixed tothe center of the substrate, generation of particles resulting from arebound phenomenon may be suppressed.

After the drying process is completed, the rotation member 330 stopsoperating. Thus, rotation of the spin head 310 pauses and the substrateW is transferred or another process is performed.

The substrate W is not limited to a wafer for use in fabrication ofsemiconductor chips and may be applied to all substrates correspondingto flat panel displays such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasmadisplay panels (PDPs), vacuum fluorescence displays (VFDs), fieldemission displays (FEDs) or electroluminescence displays (ELDs).

According to the present invention, there are advantages and effects setforth below.

Firstly, DI water of a regular temperature is supplied to a bottomsurface of a substrate to prevent a temperature of a substrate surfacefrom increasing rapidly and suppress generation of particles resultingfrom watermarks or lack of drying.

Secondly, a temperature of a substrate is regularly maintained during adrying process to reduce time required for the drying process and theconsumed amount of an IPA solution.

Thirdly, while a substrate rotates at a high speed, an IPA solution isinjected at the center of a substrate to reduce the amount of a dry gasused. Further, a rebound phenomenon of the IPA solution is suppressed toreduce particles.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with theembodiment of the present invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, it is not limited thereto. It will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications and changesmay be made without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention.

1. An apparatus for drying substrates, comprising: a support unitincluding a spin head rotating a substrate; a bowl configured toaccommodate the spin head of the support unit and provide a space wherea process is performed; an upper nozzle part configured to supply a dryfluid to a top surface of the substrate while the spin head rotates thesubstrate; a lower nozzle part installed at a top surface of the spinhead and configured to inject heated fluid to the bottom surface of thesubstrate simultaneously with the upper nozzle part supplying the dryfluid; a first fluid supply part configured to supply the heated fluidto the lower nozzle part; and a heater installed at the first fluidsupply part and configured to heat fluid to be supplied to the lowernozzle part.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper nozzle partincludes: a first nozzle configured to inject an organic solvent to drythe top surface of the substrate; and a second nozzle configured toinject a dry gas to improve vaporization power of the organic solvent.3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a moving part configuredto move the upper nozzle part such that the upper nozzle part injectsfluid while moving from the center to the edge of a top surface of thesubstrate.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a liftconfigured to move up or down the bowl so that a height of the bowl isadjusted to a height of the spin head when the substrate is loaded onthe spin head.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the lift moves downthe bowl so that the spin head protrudes over the bowl when thesubstrate is unloaded from the spin head.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the lower nozzle part includes: a rinsing injection holeconfigured to inject a rinsing fluid; and a drying injection holeconfigured to inject a drying fluid.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6,wherein the rinsing fluid is deionized water and the drying fluid isisopropyl alcohol or nitrogen gas.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe organic solution is isopropyl alcohol and the dry gas is nitrogengas.
 9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first nozzle is closer tothe center of the substrate than the second nozzle.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein the first and second nozzles are arranged in a movingdirection of the upper nozzle part.
 11. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the first and second nozzles are arranged tangentially to amoving direction of the upper nozzle part.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the first fluid supply part includes: a supply line configuredto provide the heated fluid from the heater to the lower nozzle part;and a value configured to drain the heated fluid in the supply line fora predetermined time before the first fluid supply part supplies theheated fluid to the lower nozzle part.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the heater heats the fluid at a temperature ranging from 60 to80 degrees centigrade, and
 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thebowl includes a plurality of recovery containers which recover differentkinds of fluids, respectively.